Movies List for 2008

Amazing movie! A dyslexic child is sent to a boarding school where an understanding teacher helps him cope. Everything about the movie (acting, photography, music...) is excellent.

Eastern Promises (2007)seen 2 Jan 08 · 8 out of 10

Watched between 1:30 AM and 3:30 AM. A midwife delivers a baby of a young woman who dies during the birth, but her diary contains secrets that a Russian gangster family is after and will do anything to silence. Extraordinary acting from Viggo Mortensen.

No Smoking (2007)seen 5 Jan 08 · 8 out of 10

Very stylishly shot movie about a man called K (John Abraham) who is addicted to smoking, due to which his wife (Ayesha Takia) threatens to leave him. When he goes to a detox clinic called "Prayogshala", his reality is turned upside down. Surreal and excellent, but I didn't understand the point completely.

Manorama Six Feet Under (2007)seen 12 Jan 08 · 8 out of 10

Another offbeat Hindi movie. A well performed and well written thriller about a writer of detective stories who gets involved in a real-life murder.

Out for a Kill (2003)seen 14 Jan 08 · 4 out of 10

Watched between 1 and 3 AM. I used to wonder why Steven Seagal's more recent direct-to-DVD movies were subject to so much ridicule. Now I know why. This is a bad movie. The story is some nonsense about an archaeology professor who becomes the target of a Chinese triad.

Plotless but fun movie with the best fighters in the world being invited to an island to compete in the DOA tournament. Fight scenes were nicely done.

Hunting Humans (2002)seen 17 Jan 08 · 8 out of 10

Watched between 1:30 AM and 3 AM on VCD. Much better than expected, this is a well acted and well made independent thriller about a serial killer who's at the top of his game... who discovers he is being hunted by another killer who's two steps ahead of him. Written and directed by Kevin Kangas.

Aliens vs Predator: Requiem (2007)seen 2 Feb 08 · 7 out of 10

Action packed movie with a Predator fighting off a whole bunch of Aliens in a Colorado town.

A Film by Arrvind (2005)seen 9 Feb 08 · 8 out of 10

Interesting thriller with a unique story — a director receives a incomplete script for an upcoming film, and he and his star go out into the woods to discuss this script. Soon, events in the script start happening in reality.

Pachaikili Muthucharam (2007)seen 10 Feb 08 · 8 out of 10

Interesting thriller from Gautham Menon based on the book Derailed. A married man gets into an affair with a stranger he meets on a train, with distastrous consequences once the villain enters the story. Great songs and music.

Justice League: The New Frontier (2008)seen 18 Feb 08 · 7 out of 10

Watched between 1:30 AM and 3 AM. Interesting story based on the graphic novel by Darwyn Cooke, showing the beginnings of the Justice League as a force called the "Center" attacks Earth.

Jumper (2008)seen 23 Feb 08 · 6 out of 10

Interesting action movie about people who can teleport and the "Paladins" who are hunting them.

The King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters (2007)seen 1 Mar 08 · 8 out of 10

Visually splendid and dark musical about a barber who wants revenge on the Judge who caused him to be separated from his family and put away fifteen years ago. Saw in Prasad's Multiplex, there were unnecessary cuts (all throat slashing was cut out).

The Last Man on Earth (1964)seen 16 Mar 08 · 7 out of 10

The first movie based on the book I Am Legend by Richard Matheson. Vincent Price is the last man on Earth, everyone else is a vampire.

See No Evil (2006)seen 25 Mar 08 · 6 out of 10

A seven foot tall psycho stalks and kills delinquents who have come to renovate an old hotel. No story but entertaining enough. Well shot but lacks any real tension.

P2 (2007)seen 28 Mar 08 · 7 out of 10

Okay thriller about a businesswoman trapped in her office building's parking lot on Christmas Eve, with a psycho attendant stalking her.

Dus Kahaniyaan (2008)seen 30 Mar 08 · 6 out of 10

Ten stories from six different directors. Stylishly shot but I didn't think the stories were that great.

I Know Who Killed Me (2007)seen 31 Mar 08 · 6 out of 10

Watched between 1 AM and 3 AM. Definitely not as bad as people made it out to be. Of course, some of the stuff that goes on in the movie is absurd, but it is an OK thriller.

Return to House on Haunted Hill (2007)seen 1 Apr 08 · 5 out of 10

A group of people are looking for a priceless idol in a house (asylum) that's haunted. Nothing remarkable about it and it's not at all scary.

Cloverfield (2008)seen 5 Apr 08 · 8 out of 10

Well done movie about a monster attacking NYC and the events being caught on handheld camera. Effects were nice and the camerawork was convincing. I liked the end credits music too ("Roar! (Cloverfield Overture)" by Michael Giacchino).

American Pie Presents Beta House (2008)seen 8 Apr 08 · 6 out of 10

Typical direct-to-DVD raunchy comedy, entertaining enough to watch.

Seed (2007)seen 10 Apr 08 · 7 out of 10

A film by Uwe Boll about an unstoppable killer who is buried alive — and escapes his grave to take revenge on the cops who put him under. Nowhere near as bad as it is claimed to be. Watched between 1 and 3 AM, this was a cut version I saw that was missing some of the notorious gore scenes. Will wait for an uncut version.

Pusher II (2004)seen 12 Apr 08 · 8 out of 10

Extremely well-acted and realistic crime drama. This sequel explores the character Tonny (Mads Mikkelsen) from the first film.

Pusher 3 (2005)seen 12 Apr 08 · 8 out of 10

Third film in the Pusher trilogy is about drug lord Milo (Zlatko Buric) trying to go clean. Once again a brilliantly acted movie and well put together.

Kite (1996)seen 13 Apr 08 · 5 out of 10

Adult oriented anime about a young assassin Sawa, trained to kill by her mentor Akai, who also was actually responsible for killing her parents.

[REC] (2007)seen 13 Apr 08 · 9 out of 10

Excellent horror movie with a journalist and her cameraman entering a building with a fire crew — and encountering something horrific inside.

Ils (Them) (2006)seen 14 Apr 08 · 7 out of 10

Watched between 2 and 3:30 AM. Well done and tense movie with a couple caught in a big house, menaced by unseen attackers one night.

Hitman (2007)seen 15 Apr 08 · 5 out of 10

Very average movie with Timothy Olyphant as the titular character being caught up in a conspiracy involving the Russian President. Some OK action scenes but overall not a very good movie.

The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)seen 21 Apr 08 · 7 out of 10

The "Pumpkin King" of Halloween Town, Jack Skellington, kidnaps Santa Claus and decides to deliver his own version of Christmas. Displays an amazing imagination.

Superhero Movie (2008)seen 26 Apr 08 · 5 out of 10

Just an OK comedy with a few funny moments, otherwise missable.

Inside (A l'interieur) (2007)seen 28 Apr 08 · 8 out of 10

Watched between 12:30 AM and 2 AM. A very bloody movie with Alysson Paradis as a pregnant woman who is all alone at home — until a strange woman (Beatrice Dalle) comes knocking at the door.

Untraceable (2008)seen 1 May 08 · 5 out of 10

Thriller about a killer who hooks people to torture devices and streams video live over the internet — the more people watch, the faster the victim dies. The premise is good but the execution wasn't.

The Signal (2007)seen 4 May 08 · 8 out of 10

Low-budget but very effective SF-horror movie about a "signal" that emanates over all radio, TV and cellphone transmissions, and turns people into killers.

Iron Man (2008)seen 4 May 08 · 8 out of 10

Incredibly entertaining superhero movie with great visual effects, featuring Robert Downey Jr as billionaire Tony Stark, who builds the suit that transforms him into the "Iron Man". The movie is the origin story, and has a scene after the end credits. Watched at Prasad's Multiplex — they showed the entire end credits and the closing scene as well!

Outpost (2007)seen 5 May 08 · 6 out of 10

Atmospheric horror movie about a group of soldiers who arrive at an abandoned Nazi bunker and find that they are not alone there. Interesting but not as good as expected.

No Country for Old Men (2007)seen 8 May 08 · 9 out of 10

Watched on DVD from midnight to 2 AM. A masterpiece of acting and direction, with three main characters — Moss (Josh Brolin) who finds 2 million dollars in cash, Chigurh (Javier Bardem) who is after the money, and Sheriff Bell (Tommy Lee Jones) who is on the case.

Speed Racer (2008)seen 11 May 08 · 7 out of 10

Entertaining live action cartoonish movie. The visuals are amazing and kids will enjoy it.

Death Race 2000 (1975)seen 13 May 08 · 8 out of 10

Cult movie that is a great deal of fun... about the transcontinental race where racers get points for running down people.

Idiocracy (2007)seen 16 May 08 · 7 out of 10

Funny movie with an excellent plot from writer/director Mike Judge. Luke Wilson and Maya Rudolph's characters wake up from hibernation in the year 2505 only to realise that they are the smartest people on the planet — the rest of mankind has become incredibly dumb.

The Eye (2008)seen 18 May 08 · 8 out of 10

Well done movie with Jessica Alba as a blind violinist who received a corneal transplant and starts seeing ghostly visions. I have not seen the Chinese original but I saw the Hindi remake Naina, and the overall story is the same.

The Deaths of Ian Stone (2007)seen 24 May 08 · 6 out of 10

Interesting movie about a man called Ian Stone (Mike Vogel) who is killed everyday by mysterious creatures and wakes up in a new life each time. What is going on? Watched between 1 AM and 2:30 AM.

Meet the Spartans (2008)seen 24 May 08 · 5 out of 10

Plotless comedy that is mainly a spoof of 300.

wΔz (2008)seen 25 May 08 · 8 out of 10

Gritty crime thriller about a killer who puts victims through a unique test — how much torture would they undergo before killing a loved one? Well shot movie.

Jerome Bixby's The Man From Earth (2007)seen 26 May 08 · 10 out of 10

Fascinating science fiction movie! A professor named John Oldman is leaving town and invites a few close friends over to his house. He then reveals that he is actually 14,000 years old. Is he telling the truth, lying, or is he insane?

Trancers II (1991)seen 29 May 08 · 6 out of 10

Low budget film is not as good as the first since there isn't much Trancer action to be found here. But movie is entertaining nonetheless. Watched between 12:30 AM and 2 AM.

Interesting concept in this movie — a man has a video camera that can stop time — but it wasn't all that great.

Blade Runner: The Final Cut (2007)seen 2 Jun 08 · 10 out of 10

Bought the DVD of the "final cut" and watched it — the restoration is awesome and the movie of course is great.

Urban Justice (2008)seen 5 Jun 08 · 6 out of 10

Direct-to-DVD Steven Seagal movie with him going against the gangs who killed his son. Decent.

The Onion Movie (2008)seen 6 Jun 08 · 7 out of 10

Watched between 1 AM and 3 AM, this is a funny collection of sketches. Especially enjoyed the fake trailer for... Steven Seagal as "Cockpuncher"!

Mallrats (1995)seen 7 Jun 08 · 8 out of 10

Kevin Smith movie with two friends who are dumped by their girlfriends, and end up spending the entire day hanging out in a mall.

Be Kind Rewind (2008)seen 8 Jun 08 · 7 out of 10

Jack Black and Mos Def in this comedy from director Michel Gondry. Black's head gets magnetised and he ends up erasing all the videotapes in the store that Mos Def is put in charge of — and they decide to reshoot all the movies.

The Andromeda Strain (Pt 1) (2008)seen 8 Jun 08 · 7 out of 10

Made for TV adaptation of the Michael Crichton novel.

The Andromeda Strain (Pt 2) (2008)seen 11 Jun 08 · 6 out of 10

The second part of this TV adaptation is not as good as the first, introducing unnecessary and seemingly illogical additions to the story.

The Happening (2008)seen 14 Jun 08 · 6 out of 10

The latest film from M Night Shyamalan. It had an interesting idea and some scenes were well created, but otherwise it has some atrocious lines and the boom mic kept dipping into frame several times. Watched in theatre at Prasad's, I think they cut out some of the more violent parts (what's the point of giving it an "A" certificate then?), so overall a big disappointment.

Maniac Cop (1988)seen 16 Jun 08 · 7 out of 10

Seen between 1:30 AM and 3 AM. Well done horror thriller about a psycho in a cop uniform who goes on a killing spree. Who is he and could he actually be a cop?

Pathology (2008)seen 20 Jun 08 · 7 out of 10

Twisted thriller about a group of medical interns involved in a game — committing an undetectable murder. Lots of perverse stuff in this movie!

The Incredible Hulk (2008)seen 21 Jun 08 · 8 out of 10

Incredible! Dr Bruce Banner is a fugitive and is pursued by Gen Ross and Emil Blonsky, who subsequently becomes the Abomination. Watched on IMAX screen.

Dasavathaaram (2008)seen 28 Jun 08 · 8 out of 10

Excellent movie with a good story that culminates in an almost Shyamalan-like ending! Kamal Haasan plays ten characters in this thriller/action movie that is about a scientist who must protect a lethal bioweapon from falling into the wrong hands.

All the Boys Love Mandy Lane (2006)seen 30 Jun 08 · 7 out of 10

Watched between 1:30 AM and 3 AM. Well done thriller about a group of teens who head out to a ranch for a weekend. All the boys love Mandy Lane (Amber Heard), but someone is killing off the competition.

Batman: Gotham Knight (2008)seen 1 Jul 08 · 7 out of 10

Six anime-style short films set in the Batman Begins universe as a prelude to The Dark Knight. Good stuff.

Braindead (a.k.a. Dead Alive) (1992)seen 3 Jul 08 · 9 out of 10

Amazingly entertaining splatter comedy from director Peter Jackson... about a man whose mother is bitten by a Sumatran "rat monkey" and subsequently turns into a flesh eating zombie.

Aamir (2008)seen 5 Jul 08 · 5 out of 10

A decently put together movie, but ultimately pointless... a man gets off a plane at Mumbai airport and then is given one task after another to do, by a mysterious man over phone, else his family will die.

21 (2008)seen 6 Jul 08 · 7 out of 10

Interesting movie about MIT students who count cards to win money at Vegas. Nicely done... became better towards the end too.

Stigmata (1999)seen 8 Jul 08 · 7 out of 10

Stylish and well photographed horror thriller in which priest Gabriel Byrne investigates the case of a woman who experiences stigmata — wounds corresponding to the crucifixion of Jesus Christ.

Day of the Dead (2008)seen 10 Jul 08 · 7 out of 10

Energetic movie with plenty of blood and splatter. Not strictly a zombie movie as the creatures are actually infected humans and not undead, still the movie is decent and has some nice action scenes.

Funny sequel with the two title characters being mistaken for terrorists and pursued by a fanatical US Government agent.

Heavy Metal (1981)seen 13 Jul 08 · 6 out of 10

An animated anthology film with stories based on the style of the adult fantasy magazine Heavy Metal.

Wanted (2008)seen 13 Jul 08 · 9 out of 10

Great movie with fantastic visuals and action scenes about a secret fraternity of assassins... pathetic loser Wesley Gibson is recruited into it and discovers his true potential. From Night Watch director Timur Bekmambetov.